1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assembly in which a support shaft is supported by a frame in a state in which a plurality of members such as an elastic member are supported by the support shaft, and an image recording apparatus including the assembly. In particular, the present invention relates to a support mechanism of the support shaft by the frame.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There is known an inkjet image recording apparatus which includes a power transmission switching device that switches a power transmission from a motor as a drive source to a plurality of driven portions. As disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2007-90761), the power transmission switching device selectively transmits a power (a drive force) to either one of the plurality of driven portions depending on a position of a recording unit that is movable above a platen. Therefore, for example, when an image is recorded on a recording sheet as a recording medium, the power is transmitted from the drive source (an LF motor) to a feeding roller which feeds a recording sheet, and when a purging operation is performed in which a foreign matter stuck in a nozzle of a recording head of the recording unit is removed, the power is transmitted from the drive source to a maintenance unit.
According to Patent Document 1, a drive force of the LF motor is transmitted to the plurality of driven portions by the power transmission switching device. The power transmission switching device includes a switching gear and four types of transmission gears such as a transmission gear for intermittent sheet-feeding, a transmission gear for consecutive sheet-feeding, transmission gear for sheet-feeding from a lower tray, and a transmission gear for maintenance operations. When a lever is positioned in either one of a first, second and third set portions (positions), the switching gear selectively meshes with corresponding one of the transmission gears corresponding to the position of the lever such that the power is transmitted to the corresponding transmission gear. The position of the lever is changed depending on a movement of a carriage in a main scanning direction corresponding to an operation mode.
The switching gear and the lever are supported by the support shaft along with a first biasing spring and a second biasing spring. More precisely, the switching gear and the lever are located on a middle portion of the support shaft, while the first biasing spring and the second biasing spring are respectively located on opposite sides of the middle portion. The support shaft is attached to the frame. Shoulders are formed in opposite ends of the support shaft. When the opposite ends of the support shaft are inserted into respective holes formed in the frame, the shoulders are respectively engaged with peripheries of the holes. The support shaft is thus mounted on the frame.